From the page: The forgotten bottle deserves a new chapter
Idea 2
Herb garden on a tray
Growing trays are the backbone of seedling production in professional nurseries: many small plants side by side, each in its own space. It works because herbs like chives, mint, and parsley have shallow roots — they only explore the first few centimeters of soil, so a shallow bottle is already a comfortable home.
What you need
- A shallow tray or baking sheet (plastic or wood both work)
- 6 to 10 clean medicine bottles with holes in the bottom
- Light potting mix or soil mixed with a bit of compost
- Herb seedlings or bulbs: chives, mint, parsley, basil, cilantro
- Labels (small lids or bits of laminated paper)
How to make it
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1
Make holes in the bottom of all the bottles and line the tray with a thin layer of pebbles or expanded clay — this creates a reservoir that gradually returns moisture to the little pots.
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2
Fill each bottle with potting mix up to two fingers from the rim, keeping the soil loose so the roots can breathe.
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3
Plant one herb per bottle: chives and mint go in as buried bulb pieces or stems, parsley and basil as seedlings or seeds.
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4
Arrange the bottles on the tray leaving space between them, so air can circulate and no one competes for light.
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5
Water the tray (not each bottle individually) and keep a thin layer of water at the bottom — the roots draw it up by capillary action and you water far less often.
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6
Keep the tray near a window with at least 4 hours of sun per day, turning it now and then so they grow evenly.
Finishing touches
Start with mint, which is nearly impossible to get wrong, and work your way up to basil and parsley. In the kitchen, the tray becomes living seasoning within reach: harvest the top leaves and the plant renews itself on its own.
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